Category Archives: World Opinion

NATIONAL: INDIAN NAVY : WOMEN POWER IN SAILING: Indian Navy’s female duo completes historic transoceanic sortie ahead of solo circumnavigation

Two women officers are in the fray for the Navy’s ambitious voyage yet — the Sagar Parikrama IV, a circumnavigation mission.

Lieutenant commanders Dilna K and Roopa Alagirisamy, the two women officers handpicked as potential candidates for the upcoming Sagar Parikrama IV, the Navy’s most ambitious voyage yet, have successfully completed their ‘final examination’ on the seas.

The so-called test entailed undertaking a transoceanic sortie aboard INSV Tarini from Goa to Port Louis in Mauritius, and back. This nearly 5,000 nautical mile journey in double-handed mode was the first-of-its-kind by Indian women, thus marking a significant milestone for the Navy.

The women duo recorded ‘full marks’ when Tarini was flagged in by the who’s who of INS Mandovi at the boat pool in Goa on Sunday. It concluded a two-month expedition that began on February 28 and also involved a series of events to strengthen bilateral ties during the stopover in Mauritius.

“The expedition was particularly challenging as each leg of the journey was a continuous voyage of about 2,700 nautical miles without breaks. Besides demanding to settle into a rhythm at sea, the journey also threw various weather conditions,” says Cdr Abhilash Tomy (retd), the officers’ mentor and only Indian to circumnavigate the world twice.

Each leg of the journey took nearly three weeks and saw the two women officers battle heavy winds and rough seas. “The two officers are used to being on the water by now. They have been training for nearly three years, undertaking regular sorties,” a Navy source tells TNIE. 

Indeed, both Lt Cdr Dilna and Lt Cdr Roopa have over 25,000 nautical miles to their names. According to Cdr Abhilash, the two are “quite well prepared.”

In November 2023, the two officers had sailed from Goa to Port Blair and back — nearly the same distance as from Goa to Mauritius. “Though that voyage too was in double-handed mode, they were still sailing on Indian waters. This time, they crossed into the ocean,” the source elaborates.

Even crossing oceans isn’t new. This time last year, they embarked on an expedition to Rio De Janeiro and back on the same vessel with a six-member crew. However, the upcoming Sagar Parikrama mission will be unlike the voyages they’ve been on. It will see a woman officer sail around the world, solo and unassisted.

“Of the two officers, only one will make this journey. This transoceanic voyage was their final test. We will now evaluate and decide who will undertake the circumnavigation mission,” the source says. According to him, both of them have a good chance of qualifying.

Though India has eight circumnavigators, only two have done it solo — Captain Dilip Donde (retd) and Cdr Abhilash. Their voyages, in 2010 and 2013, respectively, were the first two iterations of the Sagar Parikrama series. Interestingly, the two are also the first Indian male pair to undertake a transoceanic sortie (in 2009).

The third Sagar Parikrama mission in 2017 saw Lt Cdr Joshi Vartika lead a six-member crew across the world’s oceans. To see an Indian woman sail around the world solo and unassisted was the longtime dream of the late VAdm M P Awati, considered the father of Indian circumnavigation missions.

Now, only months remain for this dream to be fulfilled. Sagar Parikrama IV is set to commence in September.

Lt Cdr Dilna K

  • Hails from Kozhikode, Kerala
  • Joined the Navy as a logistics officer in 2014
  • Is a renowned shooter; have won several medals in national competitions
  • Big enthusiast of cricket; have represented the Kerala state team
  • Won YAI’s Admiral Ramdas Trophy last year

Lt Cdr Roopa A

  • Hails from Puducherry
  • Joined the Navy into the naval armament inspection cadre in 2017
  • Is an aeronautical engineering graduate; had a stint with National Aerospace Laboratories
  • Her father, Alagirisamy G P, is a former Indian Air Force pilot
  • Won YAI’s Admiral Ramdas Trophy last year yearAdmiral Ramdas Trophy,

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)

GLOBAL: AVIATION / AIRPORTS: Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport among Top 10 Busiest Airports in the World. At no. 1 is…

Data shared by the ACI on Monday showed that the IGI airport in the capital handled 7.22 crore passengers annually.

The Airports Council International (ACI) World, a global organisation which measures and assesses airport standards– on Monday ranked Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport as the tenth busiest airport in the world in 2023.

The IGI Airport was ranked 9th in 2022, 13th in 2021, and as the 17th busiest airport in 2019, before the coronavirus pandemic.

Data shared by the ACI on Monday showed that the IGI airport in the capital handled 7.22 crore passengers annually. The Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in the United States held the top rank with 10.46 crore passengers.

From the top 10 rankings for total passenger traffic, five of the airports are in the United States. The biggest jump in the rankings is recorded for Tokyo’s Haneda airport, which leaped from 16th position in 2022 to the 5th spot in 2023.

Top 10 airports in the world in 2023

RankingAirport
1Atlanta  (USA)
2Dubai (UAE)
3Dallas/Fort Worth (USA)
4London (UK)
5Tokyo (Japan)
6Denver (USA)
7Istanbul (Turkey)
8Los Angeles (USA)
9Chicago (USA)
10New Delhi (India)

According to the ACI report, the top 10 airports representing close to 10% of global traffic, witnessed a gain of 19.8% from 2022 or a gain of 0.7% from 2019.

The organisation said that the global total passenger forecast for 2023 stands close to 8.5 billion, reflecting a remarkable recovery of 93.8% from pre-pandemic levels.

“Global air travel in 2023 was chiefly fuelled by the international segment, propelled by several factors. Among these were the anticipated benefits from China’s reopening and a growing inclination towards travel despite macroeconomic conditions,” ACI World Director General Luis Felipe de Oliveira said.

He added,“While perennial leaders from the US continue to dominate the top 10 busiest airports for passengers, notably Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport retaining its number one position, there are notable shifts. Dubai International Airport jumped to second rank for the first time, while Tokyo Haneda International Airport witnessed a remarkable ascent from 16th position in 2022 to 5th in 2023. Additionally, the unwavering strength of Istanbul and New Delhi airports keep them in top ranks, marking significant progress over 2019.”

The latest ACI’s airport rankings are based on data gathered from over 2,600 airports across more than 180 countries and territories globally.

source/content: hindustantimes.com (headlines edited)

INTERNATIONAL : NATIONAL: Pin Code Mh-1718: Story Of A Post Office In Antarctica With Indian Address

India’s two research bases on Antarctica, Maitri and Bharati, are part of the Goa postal division.

Pin Code Mh-1718: India set up its first post office in Antarctica’s Dakshi Gangotri in the year 1984. Within a year more than 10,000 letters and mail had been posted and ‘cancelled’ at the post office. however, in 1988-89, Dakshin Gangotri submerged in ice and was subsequently decommissioned. Another branch was set up at Maitri research station in Antarctica on January 26, 1990.

Since then philatelists, collectors and hobbyists send letters and postcards in blank envelopes to the Maitri post office for ‘cancellation’ and this practice continued for over 35 years. Notably, stamp impression, “Maitri North Goa,” from the Antarctic research base, has become a renowned “collector’s item.”

Nearly 40 years later, the Department of Posts is opening the second branch of the post office and giving the letters a new pin code MH-1718. Officials noted that the code currently allocated is “experimental,” as is customary when a new branch commences operations.

Now India has two bases in Antarctica, Maitri and Bharati, and fall under the jurisdiction of the Goa postal division.

“In practice, the letters meant for the post office in Antarctica are sent to the National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR), the nodal agency for India’s polar expeditions, in Goa. When a scientific expedition to the continent leaves from the NCPOR, a researcher is usually tasked with carrying the consignment of letters. At the research base, the letters are ‘cancelled’, brought back, and returned via post,” said an official from the Department of Posts.

The authorities have clarified that the term ‘cancellation’ pertains to the mark placed on a stamp or postal stationery to render it useless for reuse. Usually, letters marked as ‘cancelled’ denote the location and date of the originating post office. These markings hold high value for enthusiasts, giving critical insights about the worth of the stamps.

M Sudhakar, an ex-scientist at NCPOR, further shed light on the unique role that the post office plays, especially recognising Antarctic’s governance under the Antarctic Treaty. This treaty neutralizes any territorial claims by nations, bans military operations and nuclear tests, and strongly advocates for the continent’s use exclusively for scientific discovery.

“Typically, an Indian post office can only be in the jurisdiction of Indian land. Antarctica gives a unique opportunity to have an Indian post office in a land which is foreign and does not belong to us. So, it serves a strategic purpose in terms of asserting presence on the continent,” he said.

On the occasion, Chief Postmaster General, Maharashtra circle, K K Sharma requested scientists in Antarctica to continue to post letters to their loved ones.

“There is always a lot of excitement about these post offices (in remote locations). Nowadays with WhatsApp and Twitter, all this (technology) has taken over. But, nothing can beat the written word. Particularly, when you are sitting so far from your family. I would request that you please make use of this fantastic opportunity, and write letters to your loved ones… You can create memories and they will stay with you in physical form. All these e-formats get erased fast, but you can look at a letter years later and it will take you back to those memories,” said Sharma.

In India, it’s typically philately enthusiasts and stamp collectors who mostly send mail to Antarctic post office branches.

R P Patil, Director, Postal Services, Goa region, said, “Collectors of postage stamps see it as a rare opportunity to collect the ‘impression’ of a stamp from a remote post-office location. There is always a high demand from philatelists for cancellation of letters.”

source/content: india.com (headline edited)

INTERNATIONAL / NATIONAL: SPACE & TECHNOLOGY: Tata Advanced Systems Ltd (TASL) announces successful deployment of sub-metre resolution optical satellite TSAT-1A from Kennedy Space Centre, Florida

TSAT-1A was launched from Kennedy Space centre aboard the Bandwagon-1 mission by SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket.

Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) announced the successful deployment in space of its sub-metre resolution optical satellite, TSAT-1A, by SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket. The satellite was placed in space as part of the Bandwagon-1 mission and was launched from Kennedy Space centre, Florida, U.S., at 11:16 p.m. UTC (Coordinated Universal Time) on April 7.

“This achievement follows the collaboration signed between TASL and Satellogic in November 2023, leveraging Satellogic’s expertise to develop and integrate an advanced earth observation satellite in India and TASL’s capability to undertake complex system integration,” it said in a statement. “TSAT-1A will deliver high-resolution optical satellite images with increased collection capacity, dynamic range, and low-latency delivery through its multispectral and hyperspectral capabilities.”

The statement said that TSAT-1A was assembled in TASL’s Assembly, Integration and Testing plant at its Vemagal facility in Karnataka. “This milestone shows TASL’s commitment to the space sector. This is a first step. Our partnership with Satellogic has enabled us to deliver an assembled-and-tested-in-India, best-in-class, sub-metre optical satellite which was launched by SpaceX,” Sukaran Singh, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, TASL said in the statement.

Emiliano Kargieman, CEO of Satellogic said this illustrates the flexibility of Satellogic’s space systems programme, offering governments and enterprises the ability to tailor a proven satellite model for their specific needs, and reach orbit within a favourable timeframe.

On the Bandwagon-1 mission, SpaceX said that it was its first dedicated rideshare mission launched into a mid-inclination orbit. “While our Transporter rideshare missions launch to a sun-synchronous orbit, launching to a mid-inclination orbit fills in the gaps for our customers that wish to expand their coverage or complete unique objectives,” it said on social media platform ‘X’. “Mid-inclination orbit offers a higher revisit rate, meaning the time between flyovers of the same point is faster than what is seen with other orbits.”

In addition to TSAT-1A, the Bandwagon-1 mission also had 11 other spacecraft. These include Korea’s 425Sat, HawkEye 360’s Clusters 8 & 9, Tyvak International’s CENTAURI-6, iQPS’s QPS-SAR-7 TSUKUYOMI-II and Capella Space’s Capella-14, according to SpaceX.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

NATIONAL / KARANTAKA: BUSINESS & ECONOMY : Ramesh Kunhikannan, Founder of Kaynes Technololgy Makes It To Forbes List Of Billionaires 2024

He is the Founder of Mysuru’s Kaynes Technology that supplied power systems for the Chandrayaan-3’s lander and rover.

India reached a huge milestone last year, as the country became the first nation to land a spacecraft near the unexplored south pole of the moon.

Ramesh Kunhikannan, whose company contributed largely to the historic space mission, was named on the Forbes Billionaires List 2024 for the first time this year, thanks to the historic space mission. He is presently placed among the richest people across the globe along with Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos and Mukesh Ambani with a whopping 1.2 billion US Dollars (approx. Rs. 10,011 crore) net worth.

Ramesh Kunhikannan is the Founder and Managing Director of Kaynes Technology India, headquartered in Mysuru.

The company is famous for manufacturing electronic products. The 60-year-old billionaire graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from the National Institute of Engineering (NIE), Mysuru.

He started his company in 1988 as a contract electronics manufacturer. His spouse and current company Chairperson, Savitha Ramesh, joined the company in 1996. The company presently hold a market capitalisation of Rs. 17,156 crore with its stocks priced at around Rs. 2,700, according  to Value Search.

The 36-year-old company mainly supplies electronic systems and design services to automobile industries, aerospace, medical and defence. Kaynes’ services are mainly used for electronic controls in EVs, railway signals, etc.

The shares of the company have given a return of about 234 percent since its debut. The company assembles printed circuit boards and has eight factories in India.

Kaynes supplies 350 clients across the globe in the auto, aerospace and medical industries.

It is also one of the multiple companies which largely contributed to the achievement of Chandrayan 3. The company provided power systems for the Chandrayaan-3’s lander and rover. Following the successful completion of the mission, Kaynes Technology India’s shares skyrocketed from Rs. 1,719 in August 2022 to Rs. 2683.85 as of today.

Presently, Kunhikannan holds 64 percent of the company which is around 1.1 billion US Dollars (approximately Rs. 8.3 thousand crores) to his net worth.

source/content: starofmysore.com (headline edited)

INTERNATIONAL: DEFENCE / NAVY: Kochi becomes US Navy’s latest docking station

Cochin Shipyard has signed a Master Shipyard Repair Agreement with the US Navy as part of an agreement reached during last year’s G20 summit for India to support the US Navy’s forward deployment.

US Naval ships will now dock at, and undergo repairs, at Cochin Shipyard according to a new agreement, part of a broader naval cooperation framework agreed between India and the US during last year’s G20 summit.

Officials of Cochin Shipyard, a Government of India undertaking, signed a Master Shipyard Repair Agreement (MSRA) with the United States Navy effective from April 05, 2024 as part of a larger plan for India to support the US’ forward naval deployment in Asia.

The move, along with similar agreements signed by L&T for Kattupalli Port near Chennai and Mazgaon Docs in Mumbai, will help the U.S. Navy to establish maintenance hubs for its assets in the Indo-Pacific region.

The agreement with L&T and Mazgaon Dock Shipbuilders was signed last year. These shipyards are renowned for constructing some of the Indian Navy’s most advanced and largest warships.

The U.S. Navy’s decision to partner with Indian shipyards for maintenance and repair of its vessels is driven by the limited availability of suitable facilities within the Indo-Pacific region. Currently, the shipyards capable of servicing U.S. vessels are in East Asia and South East Asia, within range of Chinese forces, posing a potential security risk.

While facilities in Hawaii and the Continental United States are available, they are not easily accessible for forward-deployed assets.

The move comes in the wake of deepening security and defense ties between the two nations, particularly in the face of shared concerns regarding China’s activities in the region. India has taken a more proactive role in regional security, engaging in multilateral initiatives such as the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue alongside the U.S., Japan, and Australia.

The U.S. Navy operates a vast fleet of approximately 290 ships and submarines, as well as over 3,700 aircraft, deployed across the globe.

It has significant presence in the Indian Ocean, with the U.S. 5th Fleet headquartered in Bahrain. The fleet is responsible for US’ naval forces in the Persian Gulf, Red Sea, Arabian Sea, and parts of the Indian Ocean.

In addition to the agreements with Indian shipyards, the U.S. has also been exploring the possibility of using private Japanese shipyards for maintenance and repairs.

The first instance of a U.S. vessel being maintained and repaired in an Indian shipyard occurred in 2022, when USNS Charles Drew (T-AKE-10) docked at L&T’s Kattupalli shipyard in Chennai.

This event marked a new dimension in the growing Indo-U.S. strategic partnership, according to the Indian Ministry of Defence. Since then, two more U.S. vessels, USNS Matthew Perry (T-AKE-9) and USNS Salvor (T-ARS 52), have undergone maintenance and repairs at the same shipyard.

The two countries have also been holding several joint exercises and engagements. They have also signed defense agreements such as the Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA), Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement (COMCASA), and Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement (BECA) for sharing of logistics support, secure communications, and geospatial intelligence.

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)

INTERNATIONAL: DEFENCE : SPAIN: C-295 Aircraft order could increase to over 100 units, says Spanish Ambassador

These aircraft, which will be delivered as a part of the Indian Air Force’s Rs 21,935 crore deal with Spain will replace IAF’s ageing Avro-748 fleet.

The second C-295 transport aircraft from Airbus Defence and Space, which is expected to be delivered shortly, is a part of Spain’s commitment to deliver 56 such aircraft to the Indian Air Force, after a deal worth Rs 21,935 crore was signed.

Spain’s Ambassador to India, Jose Maria Ridao, in an exclusive interaction with this newspaper said that this order could be increased upto 100 units or more.

“We are happy to collaborate with India on this project and as you may recall that the first aircraft was delivered in September last year. The first 16 will be built in Seville and the remaining 40 in Vadodara. However, I am optimistic that this order will increase upto 100 units or more,’’ Ambassador Ridao told this newspaper.

These aircrafts will replace IAF’s ageing Avro-748 fleet.

Spain is also pitching for an order of submarines and has invited Indian naval officials to Spain. It may be recalled that in July 2023, Spanish company Navantia and engineering major Larsen and Tubro signed a teaming agreement for submitting techno-commercial bid for the Indian Navy’s P75 submarine programme.

“The Indian navy officials, when they visit Spain, can see for themselves the technological advancement of the submarines,’’ said Ambassador Ridao.

Project 75 requires the Indian bidder to tie up with a foreign collaborator and execute the delivery of six conventional submarines equipped with Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) while achieving targeted indigenous content. Expected to be valued at Euro 4.8 billion (Rs 43,000 crore), this will be amongst India’s largest defence projects.

Meanwhile, Spain is India’s sixth largest trading partner in the European Union. India’s exports to Spain in 2023 were Euro 5.847 million while Spain’s export to India were Euro 1.7779 million

“There are over 250 Spanish companies in India, and we have bilateral trade visits with India. These include delegations from West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, while Punjab and Gujarat too are likely to send their delegations for possible collaborations,’’ the Ambassador added.

Speaking about the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in India, Ambassador Ridao said that being a democracy is the extraordinary value that India holds.

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)

GLOBAL: ARTS & CULTURE / MUSIC: Kerala woman Suchetha Satish Creates Guinness World Record, sings in over 140 languages

A Kerala woman has created a world record by singing in 140 languages in a Dubai concert on 24 November 2023. She shared the video on her Instagram handle.

Kerala women created a Guinness World Record after singing in over 100 languages. Suchetha Satish performed in a total of 140 languages in a Dubai concert on November 24, 2023. The concert is titled Concert for Climate. The video of her performance was shared on Instagram. She could be seen singing melodious songs, and it was a complete treat to ears.

Ms Satish shared the news on her Instagram handle. She captioned, “Happy to share the news that by God’s grace, I have set a new Guinness World Record by singing in 140 languages in 9 hours, on Nov 24th 2023, during my concert by climate. Thank you all for your wishes and support.”

According to the official Guinness World Records page, Ms Satish broke the record by performing 140 languages raising awareness about climate change at the Indian Consulate Auditorium in Dubai. There are over 140 representing over 140 nations attending the COP 28 summit in Dubai.

The stage was set for the 75th anniversary celebrations of India’s independence and the 50th formation of the UAE.

Suchetha Satish is a 16-year-old who attempted the feat during ‘Music Beyond Borders’ in Dubai on August 19 and broke the record of another Indian who sang in 76 languages in 2008.

Ms Satish sang in 29 Indian languages and 91 international languages. She attempted at 12 oms and with a rendition of a Sanskrit song called “Janki Jane” from Dhwani which is a Malayalam movie. She ended her streak with a Hindi song which is written by her mother, Sumitha Ayilliath, and composed by Bollywood composer Monty Sharma.

Many users commented on her post and applauded her for creating this record. 

One of the users,  “Congratulations Suchetha. Incredible! A journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step. I am proud to be part of this beautiful journey. Well done.”

Another user wrote, “Glorious achievement. May you have many more such achievements in the years to come. Kudos.”

One of the users praised Sucheta and commented, “That achievement was incredible. The entire mankind would be proud of you Suchetha. My hearty congratulations.”

source/content: business-standard.com (headline edited)

INTERNATIONAL: FOOD : India’s Ras Malai ranked ‘2nd Best Cheese Dessert’ Globally by Taste Atlas.

Indian delicacy Ras Malai has been ranked as the second best cheese dessert in the world by experiential food guide Taste Atlas.

Ras Malai, an iconic Indian dessert, has been ranked second in the ‘Top 10 Best Cheese Desserts’ list released by Taste Atlas, a renowned experiential food guide. This delicacy, known for its delicate cheese dumplings soaked in saffron-infused milk syrup, originates from West Bengal.

The dessert is crafted from simple ingredients like white cream, sugar, milk, and chenna, a type of paneer cheese with a subtle cardamom flavour. It is often garnished with saffron, cashews, and almonds, and is best enjoyed during festive occasions like Holi, Durga Puja, or Diwali.

The dessert, which is crafted from simple ingredients like white cream, sugar, and milk, has been recognised for its delicate cheese dumplings soaked in saffron-infused milk syrup. The best ras malai in India can be had at Mumbai’s Farzi Cafe, as per Taste Atlas. 

The list was topped by Poland’s Sernik, a dessert made with twarog, a special type of curd cheese, eggs, and sugar, often enjoyed with fruits and jellies. The third position was held by Greece’s Sfakianopita, a pie dish filled with creamy local cheese, served with honey and cinnamon.

Other cheese desserts that made it to the top 10 are New York-style cheesecake (USA), Japanese cheesecake (Japan), Basque cheesecake (Spain), Rakoczi turos (Hungary), Melopita (Greece), Kasekuchen (Germany), and Misa rezy (Czech Republic).

Other cheese desserts that made it to Taste Atlas’ catalogue of best rated desserts are Kalitsounia (Greece), Cartola (Brazil), Romeu e Julieta (Brazil), Quesada pasiega (Spain) Mel i mato (Spain), Kohupiimakreem (Estonia), Placinta cu urda (Romania), Paskha (Russia), Halawat el-jeben (Syria), Martin Fierro (Uruguay), Topfentorte (Austria), Fiadone (France), Ostkaka (Sweden), Hosmerim (Turkiye), and Postre vigilante (Argentina). 

source/content: businesstoday.in (headline edited)

INTERNATIONAL : SPORTS / US : Telugu girl Immadi Sanvi secures place in US cricket team

The 15-year-old made her cricket debut in 2020 for San Ramon Youth Cricket Association California.

 Immadi Sanvi, a Telugu native hailing from Hyderabad, got a place in the US women’s national cricket team. Sanvi will represent the American team in the World Cup Qualifiers to be held in the UAE.

This right-arm leg-spin all-rounder took 10 wickets in the recently held San Diego T20 tournament and nine wickets in the US national selections and earned a place in the national team.

The 15-year-old made her cricket debut in 2020 for San Ramon Youth Cricket Association Californai .

Sanvi’s family, hails from Sitafalmandi in Secunderabad.

source/content: telanganatoday.com (headline edited)